Light Through the Window- A Blog Series by Salisbury Neighborhood Housing Services, Inc.

Success is a long, winding road. We like to think of ourselves here at SNHS as “success guides.” Over the past 22 years, we have guided countless clients to the success of homeownership and financial stability. We would like to share some of their stories with you. After all, people and their success is why we do what we do.Meet Hayley W. When Hayley was 19 years old and almost 6 months pregnant, she wasn’t sure where she was going to live and raise her baby. She felt she had run through all of the possibilities to no avail. Deciding that “it couldn’t hurt” to check out SNHS, Hayley made an appointment with one of our financial counselors. Little did she know the importance of this first step. Little did she know how much this first step would change her life.

“The last thing I wanted was to live on a handout,” Hayley said. “To my surprise, I was told that owning my own home at 19 was an option. I did as was instructed by my financial counselor. Buying my home was easier than buying a car at a dealership. My financial counselor walked me through the entire process. I had one goal in mind and my counselor instructed and guided me in what I needed to do. Once I did my part, she took care of the rest! I closed less than one month before my son was born. I didn’t have to worry about where we were going to live.” Hayley’s whole life changed in a relatively short amount of time, but the fundamental lessons she learned from her time with SNHS have carried her through challenges to exciting future goals.

Being a homeowner has given Hayley a great sense of pride. She feels an inner strength because of her home ownership. She learned to stand up for herself-even leaving a “horrible” relationship and bettering her situation for herself and her son. “I would never have had that courage without knowing I had my own home. A home that no one could take away from me and that was all mine; a home that my son would feel secure and stable in.”“I would not be where I am without the help of SNHS.” She attributes SNHS for giving her the power to do more with her life by simply being a homeowner. Hayley loves saving so much on her mortgage and being able to use those saved funds to give her son a better life and follow her own dreams. “Besides preparing me financially, I owe my freedom and independence to SNHS. I am now pursuing my goal of becoming an attorney; a goal that would not have been possible without the doors opened with SNHS and being a homeowner.”

We love Hayley’s inspiring story and are so thrilled to be able to assist those that don’t realize the potential they hold by empowering them with financial stability and home ownership. We understand the struggles of our community and we are prepared to assist in a myriad of ways. Don’t ever count yourself out. With some focus, knowledgeable guidance and hard work, anything is possible. Call us today to find out what your roadmap looks like and where your forever home may be!